


Redwood

by Bxrdish



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Red & Green & Blue & Yellow | Pokemon Red Green Blue Yellow Versions
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 09:47:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29205354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bxrdish/pseuds/Bxrdish
Summary: Hello and welcome to the world of Pokémon! I am James Redwood, but most call me the Pokémon Professor. This world is inhabited by creatures known as Pokémon. Some keep Pokémon as pets, while others form teams with them for battling. As for myself, I've spent many years studying them. Your very own Pokémon adventure is about to unfold, but first you should know the shared history of our world. Please, sit down and enjoy my story. We begin a long time ago, when I was only sixteen, and I still lived in Kanto…





	1. The Pokémon Professor

I awoke on the day of my sixteenth birthday to the sound of my alarm blaring an increasingly annoying tone. A deeply rich smell wafted into my nostrils and it carried me down the stairs to the kitchen, where I hopped up onto one of the bar stools and laid my elbows onto the island. My mother was standing in front of a hot skillet, with two perfectly brown chocolate chip pancakes laid out. She turned her head to see me and she smiled.

"Big day isn't it?" She asked with a grin, flipping the two flapjacks onto a plate and placing it in front of me. "I know you're nervous, but please don't worry baby. The Kanto gym challenge is something you've wanted for a while, now you're finally ready! Don't let your mental health get in the way of doing something you love." She spun around and slid the syrup and butter next to my already empty plate. A squeeze to my shoulder as she plopped down two more circles of mix onto the skillet. She spoke calmly, "Professor Oak is beloved all across the world for his work in the Pok é mon community. He's lived halfway across town your entire life. He is an esteemed trainer and..." I believe she went on to list more about how amazing Professor Oak was, but my mind wandered. I was honestly scared of leaving home. I had lived in Pallet Town my entire life, but I didn't think I'd get the chance to take part in the gym challenge. I didn’t think I’d get the chance to visit the big cities. Being away from home that long and leaving my mother all alone for almost a year freaked me out. I know Professor Oak was well known for his invention of the Pokédex and for his grandson being the first Kanto Champion, but isn't he a little overrated?

A hand waved in front of my face, "Hello?" She snapped her fingers. "You've got to pack up. You're going to be late on your first day!" I zoned back in and made my way upstairs in a hurry. My room was tidy because I didn't know the next time I'd be coming back. I hastily made my bed. My backpack was already packed in front of my mirror. I took one last glance at myself and pushed a tuft of black hair out of my eyes and I was off. This is the look I'd be showing the world. Just a normal kid. One with a pair of jeans and grey shirt. I made sure I had on the best pair of sneakers I owned, and my favorite jacket. My mother helped pack my bag with snacks and a sleeping bag. I kissed her cheek as I went out the door.

The walk to the Pokémon Lab in Pallet Town was short. Wind was blowing at a steady breeze and the sun dipped behind the clouds periodically. Today was the perfect day to get my first Pokémon and I'm not going to let anything ruin it. Nothing could get my mood down. Nothing at all.

The line at the Lab was out the door and around the side of the building. I had to groan to myself at least twice. However, I waited in line patiently until a lab assistant came down the line taking everyone's names, ages, and addresses. The line was uneventful besides a few restless kids, I'm assuming younger siblings of the ones in line, batting a ball or pushing each other around. This side of Pallet Town was quaint. A few houses littered the surrounding landscape and the Pokémon Lab seemed to be the only real reason anyone would move here. The Lab was white limestone and the other buildings were a dark maroon brick, making it easily noticeable. I could see myself living on this side, long after I've made a name for myself. Maybe with a family. Maybe with the title of Champion.

I must've zoned out again because I snapped back to reality to see an arm outstretched at me attached to a tall, very elderly man with stark white hair and a happy smile. "Young man? Which Pokémon would you like to start your journey?" His eyes were kind and even in his old age he seemed to have a real passion for what he did. "Young man?" The voice called out again, but I didn't answer. I could hear his voice once more but it was distant. I could feel myself slipping again.

I hadn't thought of this. Why hadn't I thought of this? Of course the Prof was going to ask me what Pokémon I wanted for my starter. Every Pokémon trainer needs a starter. I wracked my brain to remember. Each starter had a special advantage and each of them would be needed to complete the Pokédex, so why hadn't I thought of this sooner?

**_Bulbasaur: The Seed Pokémon. Grass/Poison Type_ **

**_Charmander: The Lizard Pokémon. Fire Type_ **

**_Squirtle: The Tiny Turtle Pokémon. Water Type_ **

I spent what felt like several minutes weighing the advantages and disadvantages of each. My mind raced at the speed of light and I felt a headache coming on. My surroundings faded to obscurity.

By the time I came back I was on the ground propped under a tree with a Pokéball in my hand. My heart raced as to which Pokémon I chose without knowing, so I popped the Pokéball open. Out sprang a four-legged, brown, fluffy Eevee. He nuzzled up to me and gently licked my hand.

I looked around and to my side lay a young man about my age, I jumped at the sight of another person sitting so close to me. His red hair seemed familiar somehow, like I had seen it on the television. I turned and asked him what he was doing, after jumping to my feet of course. He responded with a laugh, "I saw you pass out in line and dragged you here. I decided to sit with you until you woke up." He stretched out his hand for a shake, "The name's Gary. I was in line behind you."

So many questions were racing through my head but I shook his hand and asked the most obvious; why do I have an Eevee? "After you knocked yourself out, Oak took care of the rest of the trainers in line. By the time he was done and could give you something, all the typical starters were gone. It would take around a year to breed more, so seeing you were the only one left he gave you his prized Eevee." The Pokémon lightly head-butted my shin.

I pet Eevee on the top of his head. Gary followed suit. Eevee jumps into my arms and climbs onto my shoulder. I made my way across the small parade field to the Pokémon Lab. Gary walked beside me, I asked him what starter he got. "I picked Bulbasaur. Only dual-type starter and it's super powerful against the first two gyms." We make our way into the Lab and talk to Professor Oak.

Oak stood at the back of the Lab leaning on a small wooden cane. "Oh! Good to see you're alright. I tasked my great-grandson to look after you until you woke." He said with a chuckle. "How is my Eevee treating you?" At the sound of his name, Eevee jumped off my shoulder and nuzzled up to Oak. "James, your Pokémon journey is about to unfold! Please take care of Eevee and train him well. He wants to be the best and see the world." A cough interrupted him, "Of course, I'm too old to do that now, but please, please take this as a token of my appreciation."

A red box was set into my hands. I flipped it open and a mechanical voice spoke, "Welcome trainer. Please input your name and address. Please sync your current Pokéballs and PC." I do as it asks and a large picture of Eevee pops up. "Eevee: The Evolution Pokémon. Its genetic code is irregular. It will mutate if exposed to certain elemental stones." I catch a red light out of the corner of my eye.

Professor Oak spoke up, "this Eevee can not evolve, sadly. A defect in its genetic structure made him unable to respond to the evolutionary effects. Most trainers wouldn't want a Pokémon like that, but I've seen you grow up, James. I know how trainers like you work. I know you treat all Pokémon with respect and dignity." He clasps his hands around mine with Eevee's Pokéball between them. "I want you to take care of this Eevee, and please, show him how much fun having a trainer can be. I'll be here if you or Gary need anything." Professor Oak then ushered me out and pulled Gary aside to talk to him privately.

I left the Lab that day with my very own Pokémon. Just as I was about to head to Route-1 to begin my journey, Gary busts out the door and hails me down. "Hey, James! I know this might be abrupt but, do you wanna be my rival? We can help each other get stronger, but in the end only one of us can win. How about it?" He stretched his hand out once more for a handshake and I took it immediately.

I never had friends growing up. I stayed inside most of the day doing schoolwork or helping my mother around the house. My father wasn't in the picture and I can't really remember what he looked like or how he acted. Now I have a rival. I have a Pokémon. I have a purpose. I want to study Pokémon and learn what makes them so amazing, and I know I'll have to complete the gym challenge to gain access to the entire Pokédex. I want to document every single Pokémon in existence. I'll do it even if it kills me! My Eevee nuzzled up to my leg and I looked Gary in the eyes. He smiled, "This is going to be fun."

I ran back to my home on the other side of Pallet Town and burst through the door. My mother is laying on the couch flipping through the pages of an old magazine, and looks up when she hears me enter the room. I'll never forget her expression when Eevee jumped up on the couch and puffed his chest out. She smiles and jumps up, pulling me into a hug. "I'm so proud of you James. You're going to be an amazing trainer." She sits me down on the couch and Eevee crawls into my lap and starts purring.

My mother grabs my hands in hers and says, "James, I know your father isn't here to see you right now but I want you to know he would be proud too. You've grown into an incredible young man, and I know you'll be an amazing trainer." She wipes away a tear and pats my hand. "I can't wait to see you at the Pokémon Championship. I'll make sure to reserve front row seats."

We sit for a bit as I tell her about Eevee and his inability to evolve, I tell her about Gary and how we agreed to be rivals. She wipes another tear from her cheek and speaks, "try not to get into too much trouble now, alright?" She chuckles, "that Gary Oak better be a good quality rival and test you along your journey."

I'm going to miss her. I'm going to miss this house. We've lived here my entire life and now I'm leaving to start a journey of sleeping outside and battling gym leaders. I'm not sure I made the right choice now that I think about it, but my passion is Pokémon. My mother could tell I was thinking deeply and chimed in, "don't you worry about me now, having the house to myself and traveling is going to be amazing. I'll be able to see the big city like I've always wanted to. Maybe I'll finally see my sister in Johto." Her smile has always been infectious.

"I'll make sure to send a Pidgey if I go anywhere, and don't forget to write to me about your journey. I'd love to hear about it," she says as she squeezes my arm. I meet her eyes and through her jokes I can see how upset she is, not upset that I'm following my dreams or leaving, but upset that I had to grow up. I checked my watch, I was going to meet with Gary to walk to Route-1 together. We get up from the couch and hug once again. I can feel her gripping into my back tighter than last time, and as I'm about to go out the door she scurries over to me and gives me a small wad of cash. "I know Poké Centers are free, but Poké Marts aren't so here's some healing item money." I give her a kiss on the cheek once more, and I can tell she's going to cry when I leave, but I try not to think about that as I exit the door. My Pokémon Journey has officially begun. 


	2. The Closed Gym

Gary and I left Pallet Town as rivals. We walked along Route-1 together, battling wild Pokémon and getting to know each other. Gary was the son of Blue, who was in turn the grandson of Professor Oak. I'm not sure who Oak's son was and I didn't want to push the subject. The stories of Red, Blue, and Green were legends by now in Kanto. Red is known across the world as the most powerful trainer in all of history. Blue is famous for being Kanto's first champion. Green popped up in some history texts but some omit her, she is the least known about of the trio. Red supposedly let Blue win the title of champion after defeating the Elite Four. Red had found something even more important than the title. He left Kanto and hasn't been seen since. Blue lives in Kanto and runs the Viridian City gym. Green hasn't been seen for years but some still say she lives somewhere away from the public in Kanto, working on a secret Pokémon experiment, but of course, that's just speculation.

I catch some of the basic Pokémon found on Route-1. Pidgey and Rattata join my roster. I have a basic outline on what team members I want, but I have to catch them all for the Pokédex anyway. We make our way to Viridian City in a couple minutes and take a look around. The town was bigger than Pallet, but smaller than the actual cities like Saffron and Celadon. A few people live here, a Poké Center and Poké Mart stand next to each other in the town square, and a Pokémon gym looms up at the north end of town. Large trees loom even larger than the already large Pokémon gym.

A noise of multiple people talking can be heard from around the gym so Gary and I decide to check it out. The two of us are by far the oldest of the trainers that set out from the Lab. We crest the hill and find a collection of most of the trainers from the Lab gathered in front of the gym, pounding on the windows and door. Gary pushes them to the side and yells, "Stop it! The gym is closed for now. No reason to be causing damage. Take the forest path to the north to get to Pewter City to battle Brock. James and I will handle the situation here." Most listen to him and start to slowly disperse.

Gary turns to me and meets my eyes, "This isn't right. Viridian City gym is the first one most trainers get. My father runs this gym and he leaves sometimes, but there's always someone to cover for him. I wonder what happened." We split up and interview some of the locals but they all tell us the same thing; the gym has been closed for about a week. No one in or out. Blue hasn't been seen around these parts recently either. One elderly lady informs us of Indigo Plateau, the place where the Pokémon league is, and the path to get there. Ace trainers count as bodyguards on the route and they might know something. Route-22, usually only accessible to trainers with every single gym badge to battle the Elite Four. We might be able to get some help from the guards, if we ask nicely.

I join back up with Gary to make our way to Route-22 to inform someone of Blue's absence when we hear what sounds like an old person wheeze-running to catch up with us, and that's exactly what it was. I turn around to see Professor Oak being trailed by a Pidgeot waving a letter in his hand.

He screamed, "Boys! Don't go that way, it's dangerous!" Oak slid to a halt and handed Gary the letter. In between wheezes and gasps of air he spits out the information that the letter is from Blue. Gary leans over to me so I can read it.

**_Dear Grandfather,_ **

**_I'm terribly sorry to run away so hastily. I would've found a replacement for the gym if I had time but I fear the worst has broken out in urban Kanto. I trust you can put together the pieces and keep trainers on their paths until I can clean this up and make my way back. Kanto has had trainers complete the challenge without taking Viridian on first in the past, take Red and I for example, I'm sure they can do it again._ **

**_I send Pidgeot attached with this letter, send her back so I know you received it. Tell Gary to get strong! Show his old man what he is capable of._ **

**_I hope you the best of luck with this new batch of trainers, and I hope you are well. See you soon, and smell ya later!_ **

**_-Blue_ **

"I'm glad I showed up when I did," Oak exclaimed. "Route-22 is for those with a fully evolved team ready to take on the Elite Four and Victory Road, not two fresh trainers without a gym badge to their name." Gary tried to explain what we were trying to do, but Oak didn't listen. "You boys will be the death of me. Don't go poking around where you don't belong." He wagged a finger at us. "You could've been attacked by Pokémon too strong, or wiped out without a second thought." He met our eyes and rolled his. "Red and Blue were the same way, always sticking their necks out for other people, even if it meant getting in trouble themselves." He ruffled Gary's red hair and squeezed my shoulder. "Go ahead and make your way to the forest, that's the way to Pewter City, where the next gym is."

I knew he was talking to me but honestly, all I wanted to do was explore and catch more Pokémon before going further. So I did. I shook Gary's hand at the entrance to the forest and circled back to Route-1 and Route-2. The gym loomed over the city and without a caretaker for the past few days it seemed cold and dark on the surrounding bright landscape. Oak had set up a lawn chair outside the gym to inform trainers of the gym's closure. When the gym closed for the night he made his way over to me and asked me to follow him. He said he had something to show me.

"I wanted to show you the basics of Pokémon, here!" Professor Oak says, looking at the sign on the building says 'Pokémon Trainer School' and I try to convince him I already know the basics of Pokémon, I've caught multiple already. He shushes me and leads me inside.

Have I said that sometimes old people are really dense? Well Oak is exactly that. We take seats at the back of a one room schoolhouse with young kids being taught Pokémon facts by a middle-aged female teacher with striking silver hair tied into a bun. She automatically notices Professor Oak and beckons him to the front.

"Look who decided to pop in, Professor Oak of all people! Class, say hi to the Professor." She introduces him to the class and asks him to give a small lecture on Kanto history.

"Well," Oak stutters. "Kanto is one of the oldest inhabited Pokémon regions, with a rich history and many legends." The teacher nods and asks him to give an example. "My favorite is that of a Pokémon named Mew, said to be the creator of all Pokémon. Legend says Mew was captured once by very bad scientists years ago, and they ran experiments on it and that's how Ditto was formed." Oak grabs a Pokéball from behind his back and lets a small purple blob out. The Pokémon makes eye contact with the teacher's Meowth and transforms itself into a carbon copy of that Pokémon, but when it turns around, its eyes are pure black dots.

"Ditto is an amazing Pokémon, although supposedly a failed clone of Mew, it can help us study other Pokémon because of its Transform feature, and what makes them so amazing! Ditto's genetic structure is unstable, and therefore not the best in battle." Oak sighs, "I've always found comfort in the idea that someone, no matter who they are, can rise above what people thought they'd be and shine. Ditto does just that around the Lab."

He returns Ditto to its Pokéball and we leave the classroom. "I wanted you to sit in on that class today not because I don't think you're a good trainer, but because Kanto's history is fascinating and not talked about enough. Look into it and you'll find amazing things. Kanto is old, and because of that it has secrets." I could tell this was a topic Professor Oak didn't talk about often. "Kanto puts on a good front, but we've done things in the past that today's generation would wince at. Red started work on documenting every Pokémon in a humane way, instead of just catching them." Documenting Pokémon in a humane way?

Oak continued, "Certain Pokémon can't, or shouldn't be caught in Pokéballs. They are needed in the world, but we still want to learn about them. So Ditto helps with that, it can transform into any Pokémon it sees and therefore give us a Pokédex entry based on its genetic makeup." Professor Oak parts ways with me. I head to Route-2 to set up camp and he goes to check up on the gym one last time that night.

I looked at my watch and decided to spend the evening wading through tall grass around Route-1 and Route-2 collecting a few first form Pokémon to fill my Pokédex. The forest will be the place I go tomorrow. Eevee snuggles up in my lap as I flip through the Pokédex entries I've racked up through the day. Pidgey and Rattata found on Route-1, Nidoran male and female on Route-2, and Mankey and Spearow between the Routes.

Night falls and I decide to spend the night on the outskirts of Viridian City, towards Route-2. The sky was clear and the summer breeze felt amazing. The wilderness didn't scare me as much as it did the days leading up to my adventure. The wild Pokémon were just that, wild. They didn't want to hurt me or Eevee. I pulled out my sleeping bag and within minutes I was out.

I woke up early the next morning to a layer of wet dew on my everything. Packed my sleeping bag and took a deep breath. Today we entered the forest, Viridian Forest. Before I do that however, I need to heal my Pokémon at the Poké Center and maybe check out the Poké Mart. I rummage through my bag and find the money my mother stashed away in the side pocket. The clerk was kind and sold me a sack lunch, some antidotes for the forest, and a few potions.

I waved goodbye to Professor Oak outside of the Viridian City gym and made my way into the forest. The thick canopy of trees shrouded the forest in a deep green. My eyes had to adjust before I was able to see all the trainers traipsing through. Multiple young boys cornered a Weedle before it sprayed a String Shot at them and scurried away. This seemed to be the resting spot for lots of the trainers we saw at the gym yesterday. I could see camping spots and put out fire pits in the clearings. Tents and cooking equipment scattered the campsites and my stomach growled.

I looked around to try and find Gary but he wasn't here. I made my way through the forest battling some trainers and catching a Caterpie and Weedle for the Pokédex. I sat down with some of the trainers from the gym yesterday and tried to give a potion to Eevee. The group was sitting in a circle around a small fire telling stories. They told me of a rare electric-type Pokémon in the forest, one fast as lightning and silent. Trainers are lucky to find one. Pikachu, the most notorious Pokémon in Kanto.

I want to complete the Pokédex so I'm not leaving until I catch one! It took me awhile to figure out that I needed to take off the plastic covering of the potion to spray it, but after that Eevee was back to normal. Eevee rolled his eyes at me and nuzzled my arm as I listened to the trainer's story.

The rest of the trainers were easy enough. They either only had one Pokémon or only used Harden. I must've gone on autopilot again because the exit is in sight when right in front of me zoomed across the pathway is a blur of yellow. Then again to my left, and one again to my right. I throw a Pokéball on instinct and even though it's out of my field of view I hear a 'ding' and start searching the tall grass. I find the red Pokéball no problem and the Pokédex lights up. Pikachu, a Pokémon that's quick and throws balls of lightning at anything and everything. Sounds like just the perfect addition to the team. I click Pikachu's Pokéball into my waist holder and walk through the doorway into Pewter City. 


	3. The Stone City

Pewter CIty lay before me as I exited the forest. Brick homes dotted the streets and to the north are two buildings. One is dark brown with large boulder walls. The other sits further north up a small hill and matches the Pokémon Lab with its white marble walls and tin roof. This building, however, has large pillars indicating the entrance. I walk a few steps but I see Gary waving to me from the middle of a flower garden positioned right inside the city limits. His Bulbasaur sleeps peacefully on his lap. I make my way over and sit down next to him.

"How was Viridian Forest for ya?" He asked with a grin. "Bulbasaur made quick work of all the bug-type Pokémon, especially since he can't get poisoned." We talked about this city and the history. Gary is becoming my walking history teacher, and honestly I'm not complaining.

Apparently Pewter City was built using large rock-type Pokémon, like Onix and Golem, to carry building supplies. One could actually see where the builders accidentally used Geodudes as bricks before the Pokémon pulled themselves free and scampered away.

"Brock is the Pewter City gym leader, he handles all kinds of rock-type Pokémon. He's a little off so don't mind that, and he's kinda old school. His gym is that building over there," Gary points to the large stone building and then moves his hand to the building next to it. "That's the Pokémon Museum. It's got pretty cool stuff from Mt. Moon and all around Kanto. Dad took me there once when he had to meet with Brock on official gym leader business." Gary puts finger quotes around the last few words.

Gary was nice to hang out with. We sat in the flower garden and ate our lunches, mostly in silence. Bulbasaur woke up from their nap and played with Eevee. This was the first time in my life that I actually liked being outdoors. The scent of the wildflowers and the scene in front of me showed me what Pokémon training is all about. This adventure has been amazing so far and I can't wait to defeat this gym and start it for real!

Gary stands up, brushes off his pants, and extends a hand. I use it to hoist myself to my feet. I head over to the Poké Center to heal up my team and grab some of the random encounters I caught on Route-1 and Route-2.

Eevee and Pikachu stay on the team but Pikachu is resisted by Brock's Pokémon, so I unbox Spearow, Pidgey, and Rattata. I hope I won't need five Pokémon but better safe than sorry. Gary and I meet up outside the gym and watch as the line gets smaller but most of the trainers who exit are clutching Pokéballs that are beeping red, the sign of a fainted Pokémon. The line shortens again and Gary pushes ahead of me, winks, and runs inside. I take a seat at the bench outside the gym and wait. During my boredom I read the sign in front of the gym; 

**_Pewter City Gym_ **

**_‘Rivers cut through Rocks not as a show of power, but of Persistence’_ **

**_Gym Leader - Brock_ **

I look back up and the sun is setting, Gary busts through the doors holding a small grey octagon. He yells, holding Bulbasaur up on his shoulders. It seems he won. I shook his hand as he paraded around Pewter City hyping up Bulbasaur, so I walked into the gym.

Brock stood at the far end of the gym. Between him and I are two trainers wearing the Boulder Badge pinned to their shirts. There are sets of bleachers to each side of the gym with multiple people in them. Some old ladies sat to one side giggling and eating a snack, I could see two men in black pinstriped suits to the left huddled close sharing a notepad.

A tall man with a crisp white shirt and black overalls stood in my way. He said, "Yo, Champ in the making! I'm the gym guide to help you on your journey to become Kanto's next Champion." He pulls out a tablet and checks my name off a long list. "Good to go! I bet you know by now, but Brock works with only the toughest of rock-type Pokémon. He's no joke. There are two trainers you've got to defeat to prove your worth to Brock, battle them when you're ready." He stands to the side and writes something on his tablet.

Brock was eyeing me down from across the gym but I took down the first trainer without too much hassle. Eevee double kicked her Geodude. The second trainer was easily taken care of but when I walked up to him for the battle he said, "You're ten thousand light-years from facing Brock!" and when I defeated him, I felt kind of bad but I corrected him that light-years measure distance, not time. The audience applauded when I took down a trainer, but it seemed most people who came in here could handle those two.

Brock stood on a pedestal at the back of the room. The room flooded with stage lights and Brock picked up his Pokéballs and held one in each hand as he crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes followed me as I walked up to him. The two trainers I fought left via side doors and made their way up to the bleachers. I also saw Gary and a few other trainers that hadn't been there before. Gary waved and gave me two thumbs up. Brock bows and points to his chest.

"This is the Boulder Badge," Brock points with his other hand to a framed black and red disk on the wall. "This is a TM or technical machine. You can teach it to certain Pokémon to give them the ability to use it." He throws out his first Pokémon, a Geodude. Without saying anything I nod and Eevee takes it out with two kicks from his back legs. I don't see his next Pokémon come out, but I can hear Brock laughing. "Good work, kid! Now is the time where I show you my true capabilities as a gym leader. Onix use Rock Tomb!"

The walls begin to shake and Eevee looks at me with his big brown eyes. All around me giant boulders begin to fall and create a wall between Brock and I. The shaking stops and the dust settles to reveal a wall of rocks. I run over to Eevee to make sure he isn't hurt but I hear Brock's voice from the other side. "Rock Tomb can be used to disorient the opponent. This move rains boulders down from around your Pokémon, causing damage. Checkmate, young trainer."

I start digging at the rock wall and Eevee helps, but I get to a boulder that just won't budge. I push and push but nothing happens. I have Eevee use Double Kick to try and break it up and make it easier to move. Eevee charges up his back legs and a large white eye opens on the rock. Without thinking twice Eevee follows through with the attack and kicks square in the eye, causing the Pokémon to reel back and let out an anguished scream.

"I see you've met my Onix. This Pokémon is large and made of boulders, which makes it perfect camouflage after Rock Tomb has been used." Eevee holds his ground as a blinding light pierces through the rock wall and a glowing white tail punctures the structure and barely misses Eevee. Eevee pounces onto the back of the tail and runs quickly up the length of the Onix and whips his tail into the tall Pokémon's face, causing it to thrust backwards, accidentally ramming its head into the rock wall, and knocking itself out.

The gym is now covered in rocks and debris. Brock returns Onix into his Pokéball and makes his way through the rock wall and hands me the Boulder Badge and the TM for Rock Tomb. He shakes my hand and tells the audience to have a good night as he walks me to the door. "James, that's a powerful Pokémon you've got there. Take good care of him. He obviously cares about you." Brock chuckles, "I always like this time of year, when the gym challenge starts up again. The summer solstice I always get an influx of trainers wanting to battle me, so I do my best to try and get through as many as I can in a day." He shuts off the lights and locks up the gym. The Pewter City night air was crisp. I saw Gary leaning against the side of the building and Brock shook our hands. "I hope to see you two battling it out for the Championship, like a modern-day Red and Blue." Brock laughs once more and turns away from us, "You two are the only trainers to have beaten me today, heck you're the only ones to beat me this season. Treat your Pokémon with love and they will love you in return! That's the secret to a powerful trainer. Not the type of Pokémon or the certain moves it has. Love, that's what separates those who take on the gym challenge from those who complete it."

Brock looks back and smiles, "you two have love in your hearts. For Pokémon, and for each other. Use that to rise above the flood. I'll see you at the top. Before you get there however, you should check out the Pewter City Museum. It's worth the fee." He winks and whistles as he walks away. Brock's words resonated with me. I've never felt more at peace with myself than I do right now. I want to make my way to the top and show everyone what a kid like me can do!

The next day Gary and I make the trip to the museum. Gary had been to the Pewter City Museum before, but I had never seen the inside. So, he decided to join me instead of going ahead. The museum was made of pristine white marble with large octagonal columns. The double doors were tall, thick slabs of mahogany wood with silver rivets. There was only a few steps before the entrance, but I could tell it was a hot spot of social interaction. Groups of trainers and civilians alike gathered on the steps for lunch or talk.

Gary and I made our way inside to be greeted by a slab of marble fitted into a desk with a receptionist sitting behind it. She asked us for the ticket admission, a price of $10. Gary covered my cost and led me inside.

To the left of the desk was a fossil of a Pokémon with large bone claws and a flat skull. "That's Kabutops, a fossil Pokémon that evolves from Kabuto, although no one has been able to evolve one. Kabuto fossils can be rarely found in Mt. Moon, though." Gary said, knowingly. To the center there was a fossil of a Pokémon suspended in the air, as if flying. "That's Aerodactyl, a fossil Pokémon that is thought to be the predecessor to modern day bird-Pokémon." To the left was a large fossil of a hard-shelled Pokémon with a beak-like mouth. "Omastar." Gary whispers from behind me, "it's known for its shell, harder than steel. It went extinct because it was too slow to keep up with the fast swimming aquatic life. Supposedly its pre-evolution, Omanyte survived longer because it could stick to the seafloor and suck up krill and other small stuff." I smile and let him keep being my tour guide.

We make our way up the stairs to the second floor and see two more exhibits. One is a reconstruction of a space shuttle and the other is a bright white, almost glowing, rock. Gary pipes up again, "The space shuttle is a recreation of the one humans used to set foot on the Moon. The real shuttle is locked away at a secret government facility."

I can see an elderly man staring at the rock through its glass case, he looks up and chuckles. "It's good to see young people taking an interest in things that happened so long ago. This is a Moon Stone, boys. On the Moon it's just a normal rock, but here on Earth the Moon Stone can trigger an evolution within certain kinds of Pokémon. Mt. Moon was named for that exactly. Sometimes Moon Stones will fall to Earth and for some reason, Mt. Moon has heavy activity." He shrugs, "but what do I know, I'm just an old man who likes fossils." He turns away and smiles, tipping his hat at us as he walks down the stairs.

We exit the museum and Gary looks back at it. "Y'know, the old man was right. Mt. Moon is known for its lunar activity, maybe that's why Clefairy makes it their home. Lucky for you that Pokémon is on my list and it's the fastest way to get to Cerulean." Looks like Gary and I are headed to Mt. Moon. 


	4. The Fossil Seller

The City of Stone is now behind us, and Route-3 is the next spot for us to go together. My team at this point consists of Eevee, Pidgey, and Pikachu. I'm not sure about my final team, but these three seem to be taking care of the trainers easily enough. Pidgey used Gust to fling the other Pokémon into a dust pile. Pikachu is rowdy and likes to fling lightning bolts at anything that moves, even if he isn't in battle. We got into a few double battles on the route, but all in all it was a fun day. I caught Sandshrew and Jigglypuff in the tall grass. My Pidgey evolved into Pidgeotto halfway through the route and I was scared for a bit because of the blinding light but Gary assured me it was entirely natural.

The mountain grew nearer and we came to a Poké Center with the sign;

**_Last Stop before Cerulean City_ **

**_Half-Off Repels_ **

hand written in red block letters. We both heal our Pokémon and make sure to have a well equipped team for Mt. Moon. I keep Eevee as my partner but switch out for Sandshrew, Mankey and Pidgeotto. I open the front pocket of my bag and try to count all the Pokéballs swirling around but stop after twenty or so and call it good. My Potion and Antidote numbers are doing well too. 

We are pushed out of the way by trainers scurrying into the Poké Center to save their fainted Pokémon. We enter through a wide hole in the side of the mountain and begin our expedition. Gary catches an Onix first try. He was just slightly faster than me or else I would've caught him. I catch Geodude, Zubat, and Paras without much fuss. Zubat and Paras get sent to the PC but Geodude joins my team.

Gary isn't far behind but at one point he got distracted looking at a shiny rock in the wall that seemed to glow. He calls me over and together we wrench it free. A glowing Moon Stone is now in our hands. He gives it to me as a present and runs off in search of another. I'm now alone in Mt. Moon and since this is my first time exploring someplace like this, I take my time.

The deeper I go the more nervous I get. Something about this mountain doesn't seem right. The trainers here aren't that hard with Mankey and Eevee knowing Double Kick, and the wild Pokémon are easy to avoid. I did have a run-in with a super huge Onix, but he escaped my Pokéball and ran off.

I make my way down a ladder at the far end of the cave and descend into the lower level. The trainers are fewer but these ones are serious. I met back up with Gary and he showed me his own Moon Stone, along with a Pokéball that held a Clefairy. The Pokémon Mt. Moon is known for.

"She was hard to find, and even harder to catch." Gary laughs, "But I got her, and I'm gonna use my Moon Stone on her as soon as we get out of here!" He jumps up and down with joy, it sounds like Clefairy is a Pokémon he's been looking at catching for some time. "C'mon J, let's get through this ASAP!" And he runs ahead and out of sight, presumably down the next ladder to the exit. I roll my eyes and follow him to the deepest floor of the mountain.

The dust on that bottom floor was so heavy I could barely see, but two figures stood a bit in front of me arguing something about fossils and Team Rocket? I couldn't entirely make out their conversation so I inched closer and was pulled down by Gary crouched behind a rock not far from them.

He whispered, "Those are Team Rocket grunts. I thought Rocket was gone when Red took them out, but from the sounds of it they are back." He cracks his knuckles and unearths his Moon Stone from his bag and gets ready to click the button on his Clefairy's Pokéball. "From what dad has told me, the grunts are pretty easy to beat. Usually handling only Zubat, Grimer, sometimes a Koffing. How about a double battle?" He winks and opens the Pokéball and immediately throws the Moon Stone at the confused Clefairy. She holds the stone in her arms for a few seconds and then begins to glow like my PIdgeotto.

That sure got the attention of the two grunts. I sent out Eevee and Gary led with his newly evolved Clefable. The grunts sent out what Gary said, Zubat and Grimer. I nod at Eevee and he Double Kicks the Zubat, causing them to faint first turn. Gary tried to look up the moveset causing the Grimer to land a Sludge Bomb. Clefable stands her ground and slings back with a powerful Pound, crushing the Grimer in one hit.

Gary returns Clefable and the dust settles. I can see a group of ten or so small pink creatures behind the two grunts and immediately recognize them as Clefairys. They follow our eyes and immediately turn away, scoop up a few, and run off. Gary follows after them but I approach the small group left behind and hold out my palm for them to sniff. Most run off to their burrows, but one comes slowly forward and lays her cheek in my palm. I pull out a Pokéball and catch her. She stays on my team, mostly because I haven't decided if I want to use my only Moon Stone to evolve her just yet.

I keep walking, turn a couple corners, and find myself at a dead end. I have a quick encounter with an Onix and this one catches. Out of the corner of my eye I see a person whose waist-deep in a crack in the wall with a pile of oddly shaped rocks at his feet. 

I tap him on the back and he squeezes himself out of the wall, grinning. "Oh, hiya!" His face is covered in a thick layer of dust and so are his hands, which are being extended out in front of me for a handshake. I politely decline. "What brings ya this deep into Mt. Moon, bud?" He asks, sitting down among his pile. "I come down here almost every day to look for fossils. Sometimes I have a great haul, like today, but some days I'll spend the entire day down here and not find many." He stops and admires one of the rocks before snapping back, "Oh! I totally forgot to tell you who I was, I'm Max and I'm a fossil collector. I spend time digging fossils up from here, and I either keep them or sell them around Cerulean City."

Gary has told me of the multiple fossil Pokémon and we saw the exhibits in the museum, but I couldn't imagine having one for myself. Max taps my shoulder and when I look back he has two fossils laid out in between us. One with a large bone dome on the top, and the other with a flat spiral down the middle. "This one," he points to the first, "is the Dome Fossil. From my research, it was once the Pokémon Kabuto. And this one is the Helix Fossil. It was once the Pokémon Omanyte." He holds out his hands, one fossil in each. He continues, "Of course, no one except Bill has ever been able to revive a fossil Pokémon," He chuckles, "I've heard stories of someone who snuck into Bill's house to use his machine, but those are just legends." Max plays off the theary with a flick of his hand, "Most people buy them as decorations or conversation starters for their coffee tables."

I try not to weigh the differences between the two and zone out again, so I close my eyes, take a couple deep breaths, and reach out, grabbing the Dome Fossil. I thank Max profusely for the gift. He scoops up his findings into a large sack, and he leads me out of the cave.

The light hits and nearly blinds me after spending close to eight hours in the dark. Max chuckles and waves as he walks to a creek to wash and clean his fossils before the sale. "I'll meet ya outside the gates if you want a tour guide!" He yells. Gary is leaning against the sheer rock wall of the mountain, and jumps when I exist.

"Looks like you made a new friend," he laughs. "Route-4 is a breeze, might as well just skip it. C'mon, Cerulean City isn't far I'll race ya!" and before I can ask him to wait he then takes off running. I assume he gets that attitude from his dad. All he needs now is the signature  _ smell ya later!  _ and it would be a carbon copy.

I can see the city in the distance. A tall white and blue building with windows lining the walls lights up the skyline, the gym. The bright red and blue roofs of the Poké Center and Poké Mart. I could tell this city was a place a lot of people gathered. It was twice the size of Pewter, and enormous compared to Pallet, but somehow the feeling I got from seeing older trainers help their younger siblings catch their first Rattata and bounce up and down was rather nostalgic for the small town.

Route-4 was boring, just as Gary had said. Few trainers were here and even fewer put up a fight. I did have a good conversation with some hikers laughing about their daily trek from Pewter to Cerulean. Just as I was about to walk into the city, a man called after me.

"Yo, Trainer dude!" He had long black, greasy hair, a scruffy goatee and a long coat. "Saw ya battlin' those dweebs. Thought ya might wanna trade for the best Pokémon of all." His eyes dart back and forth, making sure no one else is around. "Magikarp. The things’ a beast." He opens his trenchcoat to reveal lines of perfectly placed Pokéballs each with an 8-bit sprite of a Magikarp. "Limited time offer. I'll sell one to ya for the low low price of $500,000." My mouth drops open. I barely had enough to refill my supply of Pokéballs and buy a warm meal for the night, nowhere near what he was asking. "Okay, okay. I can see I bid a little high, how about $100,000?" He keeps dropping down the price but I still can't afford it. I was very close to trying to slip away, or at least making a ditch effort to sprint for the walls. "50,000?" He tries again, "Okay, okay, what about 25k?" He asks as he inches closer.

"Sorry I'm so late, J!" I hear a voice booming from towards Mt. Moon. "Didya get into any trouble with this guy?" A bright flash and a Kabuto trills and scurries towards the Magikarp dealer. He yelps and runs off, dropping Pokéballs and releasing Magikarp in a flash of white. Max appears at my side and laughs. "That guy's been causing havoc all along this route recently. Trying to sell young impressionable trainers a weakling of a Pokémon in exchange for their life savings. I've found out he's freaked out by things with more than four legs." He flaps his now clean arm over my shoulder and walks me into Cerulean City, not before returning Kabuto to his Pokéball. "Magikarp by themselves are useless, but," he raises a finger, "Magikarp evolves into Gyarados, one of the most powerful Water-type Pokémon second only to Blastoise." Max seems to like and know a lot about Pokémon. "I'm not the trainer type. My day job is at the Pokémon breeder and day care. How about after you beat the gym I'll give you a tour? My grandpa runs the place but I help on the weekdays." Pokémon breeder? I wonder what the possibilities could be. "Oh, and could you keep the Kabuto a secret? I'm not supposed to have one," he winks and runs off, south of Cerulean City.

I'm slowly getting used to being on the road and looking out for myself. Gary seems likely to run off at the smallest view of something shiny. Cerulean City, or what I've seen of it so far is nice. The Poké Center is quite a bit larger than the Pewter one. If this is how the bigger cities of Kanto are, I can see myself staying here for a bit. 


	5. The PC Creator

Cerulean was bigger from the inside. The residential district spanned multiple city blocks and the crowds were immense. The gym stayed open all day from dawn until dusk, and there was almost always a line. Usually filled with young trainers with nothing but their first Pokémon.

The Poké Center even had a corner with chargers and rows of couches for trainers. Gary and I laid our sleeping bags next to each other, but stayed up most of the night talking with the Cerulean natives about their gym and how their journey has gone so far. Most received a low-level Pokémon from a family member or as a gift for their birthday.

"Most trainers don't earn more than two badges," Gary says as we leave the Poké Center the next morning. "Those from the bigger cities usually get their home badge for fun and then never try another gym. The trainers from Brock's gym are just that. They were probably born and raised in Pewter and got that one gym badge and needed a job. It's hard for some to spend a year or two on the road, and even harder to be that long without seeing your family." He sighs, clearly missing his dad and great-grandpa. It reminds me how much I miss my bed and my mom.

Gary went ahead to the gym, but I stayed back to explore a bit. I wanted to meet up with Max again and learn more about fossils. Plus I should train my Pokémon a bit more before taking on Misty. I found him south of Cerulean in a small worn-down building with a front porch. A sign hung from two hooks read:

**_Pokémon Babysitting and Breeding - Inquire Inside_ **

I knocked and a short, stout old woman came to the door. She was cradling a large white egg with blue spots, the same design as her apron. She sizes me up and smiles. "Oh darling, please come in." She gestures to the right, "We have Pokémon pick up and drop off over there. If you came to hatch an egg please follow me." For an old lady she sure did move fast. We came to the back of the building where Max was sitting cross legged in a fenced off portion playing with a young Pokémon. He looked up and his eyes gleamed when he saw me. He sat the newborn down in a small padded square and asked one of the other employees, presumably one of his siblings, to look after it.

We walked around Cerulean. It was a beautiful day out and Max told me all the wonders of hatching and breeding Pokémon. Some Pokémon can only breed with others in their egg group or of their own species. Ditto, however, can breed with any Pokémon due to its genderless nature and Transform ability. "We run the Pokémon daycare in Cerulean, but Bill is the town celebrity. You've got to meet him!" Max's eyes lit up. He led me up and around the northern edge of the city. I pass groups of trainers gathered around a river trying to catch fish Pokémon. One pulls up a red fish flopping at the end of a hook as we pass by. The scene outside of the city is just as beautiful as the city itself. Different, but just as beautiful.

A bright blue river runs parallel to the city to the north, and after a long bridge spanning its length we got to a pier of sorts. We passed a group of trainers who called this bridge Nugget Bridge, although Max wouldn't tell me why. The trainers here didn't put up much of a fight so we made quick work of them and I leveled up my team enough where I was comfortable battling Misty.

I could see in the distance one solitary house. As the two of us walked closer I could tell something was off, and Max seemed to notice it too. Bright lights and a strange electrical crackling was going on inside the house. Gary was standing a safe distance away, making sure younger trainers didn't get too close. Max took off running when he looked up. I followed him. Gary gained on me and kept pace, "Your friend's kinda weird." He smiled, "Beat Misty already."

Max busted through the door and was immediately greeted by a horrid sight. Wires dangling from the ceiling and a ransacked room with papers covering the floor. At the far wall lay two large tubes big enough for a person to fit in. The one on the left pops open with a hiss and reveals a fat little Rattata.

Max immediately picks the Pokémon up and cradles him like a baby. Checking him for cuts or bruises. The Pokémon looks at him and squirms free. "Whatcha doin' here boy?" The Pokémon asks, tilting his head to the side. "Yeah, you. The one with the grabby hands!" All our chins are on the floor because I think we all heard this seemingly normal Pokémon just speak. "Hello? Y'all buggers deaf or somethin'?"

Gary runs off screaming, Gary faints, and I'm left standing face to snout with a talking Pokémon. He looks at me again. "Listen here boy. You see that machine there?" He flicks his head towards the cylinders against the wall. "They are teleportation devices I created. I think this stupid rat ran into the other one while I was testing. I need you to start the sequence as I'm in the tube or I'll be stuck like this forever."

I'm still dumbstruck that this Pokémon is talking to me, but I let him lead me to the PC and I hold him as he explains which button to push, however I think I could've figured out to push the big red button that says 'initiate' on it. He hops down and runs to the tube and waits until the door shuts with a hiss.

I press the button. A bright white arc of electricity spans the distance between the two terminals and begins to shake the building. After a couple seconds the transaction is complete and the two doors open. On the left a fat Rattata emerges and squeaks, on the right a tall man in a blue coat stumbles out. The man scoops up the Rattata and laughs, "You messed up my whole experiment!" He scratches the Pokémon's stomach. He steps over Max's unconscious body on the floor and walks up to me. "Good job my boy." He slaps me on the shoulder, "Not many trainers come this far down the route, but I'm glad y'all did. I'm Bill, now in the body of Bill as well," he chuckles. "Sorry for the rude attitude back there. It seems the little rat here was angry at me for messing up his day, and since our bodies and brains were sharing one space, I might've expressed his sass more than my own."

We shake Max awake and take a walk back to Cerulean. "Max my boy, I'm glad to see you out of the old babysitter job your gran put ya in." He ruffles Max's hair and turns to me. "I'm the creator of what all of you call the PC. A space in the digital world where Pokémon in Pokéballs can be stored while trainers are working with others for collection. Of course we are still studying it and I'm trying to streamline the process but it's been implemented all across Kanto so far."

We spent the entire day talking with Bill. He is incredibly persistent when he wants to be. He wouldn't take no for an answer when he brought up a way to repay me for helping him. Tickets to the S.S. Anne, some luxury cruise ship docked in Vermilion for a bit. Refueling and stocking up on food for the long journey to Johto and Hoenn. Two tickets for me to choose who I want to go with.

Bill was saying he was invited because the S.S. Anne is offering a trainer summit of sorts. A place for trainers from across the region to converse and learn more about Pokémon from each other. I tried to offer one of the tickets to Max but he shot me down, "I'm not much of a trainer. I dabble, but my passion is in Pokémon breeding and fossil hunting. There must be someone else who would want the ticket just as much, if not more than me."

I think there may be. I bid goodbye to Bill and Max at a bench south of Cerulean. The sun is setting and Max and Bill push each other around. The bench sits a few blocks from the daycare center, and I make my way to the Poké Center to find Gary. He is found with his back against the outer wall, Bulbasaur has evolved into an Ivysaur and is laying in his lap. I run up to him and wave him down.

He brightens when I come close. Ivysaur bounces up wanting to play with Eevee. I sit down next to him in the alley and he explains that Misty was a pushover and he got the Cascade Badge no problem thanks to Ivysaur and his Leech Life. He also held up a blue disk, the TM Scald.

I gave Gary one of the tickets Bill gave me. I want him to come with me. I know Gary is great with crowds and if he's there maybe the attention won't be on me. I'm not the biggest fan of going to large gatherings without knowing anyone.

Gary leaps to his feet at the opportunity to show off his skills to a crowd of esteemed trainers from across Kanto. In fact after I gave him a ticket he all but leapt out of the alley and started running to Vermilion City.

"Oh, James? Don't forget the road to Saffron City is closed. We will have to take an underground tunnel. It's kinda sketchy but it might be the only way to get to Vermilion right now. I'll meet ya there!" Gary ran and I was left under the awning of the Poké Center, Eevee curled up in my lap and another day came to a close. I sit there for a couple hours. Dosing in and out of consciousness, just thinking about the adventure so far. I still have six gyms to battle after Misty's tomorrow.

That night it rained. I was asleep when it started so when I woke up to huge raindrops on my face, my supplies were soaked. I took my bag into the Poké Center to dry off and hopefully get some sleep before the gym and Vermilion the following day. I walked into the Poké Center around midnight and found a sight I hadn't been expecting.

The citizens of Cerulean, including Bill and Max, sitting cross legged in the middle of the Poké Center floor partaking in a large Pokémon themed board game. At this point I'm drenched from the sudden downpour, and my backpack and Eevee aren't much drier. Max notices me and his face goes from a grin to worried rather quickly. I wave him off but he gets up and takes my bag. He finds a private room towards the back for me to change and hang up my clothes and items to dry. Max sizes me up and for a moment I notice the little things about him. The way his hair flops to one side and puffs up in random places, or how he's actually quite fit from the almost daily treks to Mt. Moon. I notice his eyes and his lips.

Eevee squeaks and I close the door. My wet clothes are now hanging up and my driest set of clothes on myself. Eevee gets wrapped up in a blanket and given a through pat down. I exit the room to the sound of yelling and multiple young voices laughing.

It seems Bill and Max won whatever game they were playing by 'defeating the league' and all the young trainers think they cheated. I sat in on the next game. Max's body was warm as I sat next to him. He had a big grin on his face. Eevee liked to run across the board and get scratches from all the different players.

I got the hang of the game and from what I could gather, it mimicked the Pokémon journey in Kanto. Based on certain dice rolls you get one of the three starters and depending on how high the number is if you beat the certain gym leaders or not.

"It's a hard game," Max whispers in my ear. "Most players get stuck on Koga or Blaine." He points to four cardboard trainer cutouts in Fuchsia City and six more on Cinnabar Island. "They think we cheated because we are just that good." He winked and rolled a perfect six, beating Sabrina in Saffron City. I must've zoned out again because I came back to the trainers booing and laughing. Max now prancing around the building holding his little trainer cutout with all the eight pegs in the base, representing the eight gyms.

Bill leans over and nudges me, "Max sure is a fine gentleman. Not the best at being humble however." He waves Max over, "You haven't won yet, boy. You still gotta beat the league."

The trainers start cheering now. I'm not fully clear on why they are cheering for someone who two minutes prior they were booing but I go along with it. "First trainer to get to the league is the winner, but defeating the league is like overtime. You already won, but it's bragging rights," Bill says to me.

The game must've taken longer than expected because most of the young trainers look drowsy and keep yawning. Bill, however, looks invigorated and holds up an invisible microphone to announce Max as the next Champ in the making! Max blows on the dice in his hand and rolls two fours, letting him pass Lorelei. He flubs the next throw and starts over. I find out there are three tries to beat the league. His second try he makes it all the way to Agatha, but misses the throw to defeat Lance. Third and final try he passes Lorelei with more than double, destroys Bruno with exactly enough, and throws the dice one by one for Agatha. The first dice gives a perfect six, and the second gives a five when he needs a four. He makes it to Lance.

The most powerful and most intense elite four member, Lance the dragon trainer. The dice roll needed to defeat him is two sixes. Both at the same time come flying out of his hand and flop onto the table bouncing over the cutout trainers and spread out across Kanto. Two fours. Max does not make champion tonight.

The trainers yawn and go to bed, and Bill bids us goodnight. Max stays in the Poké Center that night with me, and it's nice. Being able to see someone be so happy playing a game with kids shows me just how much Max likes his job. Most of the younger trainers are taking up the floor space or sprawled out on the couches. Max and I are sitting against one of the walls and I feel his head on my shoulder. I slept soundly that night. 


End file.
